Warning for AIBP users

[Host CJSKIDS]

I did go to passenger services and they insisted that the $10 includes the gratuity. It was late at night and I did not argue at length with them. The AIBP was part of the S'n'S and I had OBC to cover it so I chose not to pursue it at the time. I do agree however that the $10 limit applies to the drink and not to any gratuity to be added. I just wanted everyone to know what they did and you may have the same problem. Be prepared to argue with them.

 

I bought a bottle of wine on the two formal nights and they charged my folio correctly with the 40% reduction and no gratuity. Last night (last night of cruise) I was in Skywalker's late at night and the male server came very close to dumping a tray of two drinks on me but was able to recover before they fell over. He had come too close to my table and stumbled over my size 12 shoes. He gave me a free drink as an apology so in a way I came out OK.

 

 

I would go back again and ask to speak to a supervisor. We have always been able to order drinks up to $10 and it's included on the AIBP.

 

We have also had a mistake where a cocktail was charged to our bill when we had the AIBP and a quick trip to guest services has gotten that taken off.

[cruiser113]

we have had the AIBP in the past and on several occasions were charged for an adult beverage................just went to passenger service and had it adjusted.

 

on one occasion the staff was under the impression that when the gratuity was added and it was over $10 ..........it was not included. So we educated staff and the adjustment was made.

[billyg3]

We were on Crown in June and had an AIBP and had no problem ordering drinks up to and including $10. In fact we had quite a few martinis that were $10 and did not have to pay any extra or have the order refused.

 

Same here on the Royal in June. The OP should not have been charged. Ask for it to be removed.

[Alaska Newbie]

On Princess website:

 

• Our All-Inclusive Beverage Package includes any individual beverage item, such as soda, water, cocktails, spirits, wines, beers, coffee and tea, up to $10 (retail value).
  

My understanding of retail value excludes gratuity.

 

With the AIBP, can you get cans of Diet Coke or is it just fountain pop.

[easyboy]

With the AIBP, can you get cans of Diet Coke or is it just fountain pop.

 

 

 

Just from the fountain gun

 

Edit: Sorry my bad. I was thinking of the Unlimited Soda & More Package. You can get it in cans with AIBP.

 

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Edited August 5, 2017 by easyboy

[Colo Cruiser]

oh, really? that's a crap policy.

when i've had drink packages on NCL & Celebrity, they just charge you the difference.

 

 

A "crap" policy?

Most drinks are $10 or under and the program works well.

Why don't you try it before you cut it down? :rolleyes:

[reedprincess]

With the AIBP, can you get cans of Diet Coke or is it just fountain pop.

Just from the fountain gun

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

The above info is incorrect.

With the AIBP package, you can get full cans of soda including diet coke, diet Sprite, Barq's root beer, and orange soda...

The Soda and More package does not include cans - but the AIBP absolutely does.

[easyboy]

Ooops. I stand corrected. I was thinking of the Unlimited Soda & More Package. Already edited my previous post.

 

 

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Edited August 5, 2017 by easyboy

[retrembl]

Iam on the Ruby right now. Two nights agoI ordered a $9 drink from the menu which of course has a 15% gratuity added. I was under the impression that the AIBPcovered any drink priced $10 or less. Soimagine my surprise when the $9 drink is NOT INCLUDED since the total pricewith gratuity is $10.35 which was billed to my folio. So warning for all AIBP users, the totalprice INCLUDING GRATUITY must be less than $10. Princess has increased the price of their drinks so no quite a few arebeyond the $10 limit on the AIBP.

Just checked the rules for AIBP. Drinks up to $10.00. Grays are prepaid, with the exception for bottle wine purchases. Bottle wine purchases get a 40% discount on bottles under $100.00. Hope this helps

[Alaska Newbie]

Just from the fountain gun

 

Edit: Sorry my bad. I was thinking of the Unlimited Soda & More Package. You can get it in cans with AIBP.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Thanks for the info. Need my Diet Coke, lol.

[jagoffee]

oh, really? that's a crap policy.

when i've had drink packages on NCL & Celebrity, they just charge you the difference.

 

good to know for my next cruise with Princess where we do have a beverage package... we like our nice wine, so that's a bummer to find out.

 

A "crap" policy?

Most drinks are $10 or under and the program works well.

Why don't you try it before you cut it down? :rolleyes:

 

 

Colo Cruiser, I agree with you. I have experienced the Princess program and the Celebrity program. Very few items on Princess coat more than $10 and they only have one alcohol package. It is easy to understand and use. The Celebrity system is more confusing (Classic and Premium) and they are a lot of drinks and wines over the limit.

IMO the Princess policy is better than Celebrity's policy.

[polmcs]

My wife and I usually stop of at Vines on the way to dinner (wines by the glass at Vines are so much better than what's available by the glass in the MDR) and we've always been able to order glasses of wine right up to the $10 limit as shown in the menu whilst using the AIB package.

[jagoffee]

My wife and I usually stop of at Vines on the way to dinner (wines by the glass at Vines are so much better than what's available by the glass in the MDR) and we've always been able to order glasses of wine right up to the $10 limit as shown in the menu whilst using the AIB package.

 

We also found that to be true.

[Thrak]

It shouldn't have been billed. Period. The AIBP includes the gratuity and any drink $10 or less is included. Heck, I've been charged full price during a BOGO - and that is when it was truly buy one get one free. I just called them on it and they apologized and fixed the charge. It happens. If they argue about it I would get a supervisor and have it taken care of that way. I would also let Princess corporate know that they have some poorly trained staff who argued over something that is clearly spelled out.

 

It's kind of a "tempest in a teapot" thing here. A charge that shouldn't have been made and should have been easily corrected and almost certainly would have been corrected if escalated to management.

[skynight]

oh, really? that's a crap policy.

when i've had drink packages on NCL & Celebrity, they just charge you the difference.

 

good to know for my next cruise with Princess where we do have a beverage package... we like our nice wine, so that's a bummer to find out.

Why don't you check out this web site. You will see that probably 95% of all drinks on board are $10 and under. You can also get 40% discount on bottles of wine priced up to $100. This wine can be shared. Also, not all passengers in a cabin have to purchase the AIBP.

I believe the package is one of the best in the industry.

[polmcs]

oh, really? that's a crap policy.

when i've had drink packages on NCL & Celebrity, they just charge you the difference.

 

good to know for my next cruise with Princess where we do have a beverage package... we like our nice wine, so that's a bummer to find out.

 

I did an NCL cruise back in February of this year. I was in a full suite that had the AIB package included in the fare. Turns out that it wasn't so inclusive after all. Bottled water was excluded. (Cost me an extra $15 to have 6 bottles delivered to our cabin). Fresh squeezed juice was excluded. Speciality coffees were excluded (but add bailey's or Kaluha and it was included). Same with hot chocolate (though one server still tried to charge me even if I added Kaluha till a colleague told him not to charge me). All of these are included in the Princess AIB package.

[floridalover5623]

Speciality coffees were excluded (but add bailey's or Kaluha and it was included).

That's a good one. :)

Order a Specialty coffee with Kalhu on the side & throw the Kalhua away or save it for later. :')

[bulldog on water]

Know your rules then double check them and always check your bill!

People are human and they make mistakes.

Been charged for drinks I did not not even as well as other little odds and ends, but always cleared up.

[Iamcruzin]

oh, really? that's a crap policy.

when i've had drink packages on NCL & Celebrity, they just charge you the difference.

 

good to know for my next cruise with Princess where we do have a beverage package... we like our nice wine, so that's a bummer to find out.

 

Celebrity charges an arm and a leg for a well drinks. Throw in a kidney in addition to that if you want something from the martini bar. I have never found cocktails on Princess to be over priced even for top shelf brands.

[reney313]

Like others, I have been charged incorrectly for drinks when I've had the AIBP. What seems different, is my experience at guest services was them verifying my AIBP purchase and sticker on the card and then removing the charge with no problem. Drinks rang up with AIBP do not charge a gratuity so that's a crap line if they used it on you for drinks under $10 including gratuity. How would anyone calculate that?

[Chunder Worthy]

Wow. Just read this. Between one needing to imbibe a constant and inordinate amount of drinks to come close to obtaining one's moneys worth, and some drinks no longer even qualifying evidently, the AIBP is unequivocally a complete sucker bet. But if you're rich enough where the convenience and bragging rights mean more to you than the fact that you're unnecessarily throwing your money down the toilet, by all means, enjoy!

[Host CJSKIDS]

Wow. Just read this. Between one needing to imbibe a constant and inordinate amount of drinks to come close to obtaining one's moneys worth, and some drinks no longer even qualifying evidently, the AIBP is unequivocally a complete sucker bet. But if you're rich enough where the convenience and bragging rights mean more to you than the fact that you're unnecessarily throwing your money down the toilet, by all means, enjoy!

 

All drinks $10 and under qualify, bottles of water, cans of soda, speciality coffee and teas and gelato qualify on some ships so I'm not quite sure how that's a unequivocally a complete sucker bet.

At $57 per day which includes taxes and gratuities, it's easily reached without having to imbibe a constant and inordinate amount of drinks to come close.

[memoak]

Wow. Just read this. Between one needing to imbibe a constant and inordinate amount of drinks to come close to obtaining one's moneys worth, and some drinks no longer even qualifying evidently, the AIBP is unequivocally a complete sucker bet. But if you're rich enough where the convenience and bragging rights mean more to you than the fact that you're unnecessarily throwing your money down the toilet, by all means, enjoy!

 

Anyone who drinks around 5-8 drinks a day will benefit from the package - add in waters, coffees, bottles of wine and soft drinks and it will easily pay for itself. I have gotten this on every cruise I have taken since in became available and it has always paid for itself. The OP mentions the gratuity being added to make the price go over $10 - this has never happened to me. 95% of all drinks fall within the plan. Most are $8- $9. this is really a no-brainer if you enjoy a drink or 3.

[Colo Cruiser]

Wow. Just read this. Between one needing to imbibe a constant and inordinate amount of drinks to come close to obtaining one's moneys worth, and some drinks no longer even qualifying evidently, the AIBP is unequivocally a complete sucker bet. But if you're rich enough where the convenience and bragging rights mean more to you than the fact that you're unnecessarily throwing your money down the toilet, by all means, enjoy!

 

 

Evidently which ones?

[huskerdan25]

oh, really? that's a crap policy.

when i've had drink packages on NCL & Celebrity, they just charge you the difference.

 

good to know for my next cruise with Princess where we do have a beverage package... we like our nice wine, so that's a bummer to find out.

 

The comment about the Celebrity drink package is not quite accurate. If you are on the Classic package, then any drink over the maximum is charged to you at the full price. If you are on the Premium package and you order a drink over its maximum, you pay just the difference. Princess does not have a Classic and Premium package, just the stipulation that any drink over $10 does not fall in the AIBP and you are charged the full price, not the difference.

 

There seem to be many more drinks that fit in the AIBP than in the Celebrity packages, including drinks with "premium" liquor so I think the Princess AIBP is better than Celebrity's and it is less expensive and more expansive than Celebrity's.

 

Also, while it is nice that Celebrity often offers their Classic drink package as a perk for booking a cruise, there are many that prefer the liquors found in the Premium package and feel the need to upgrade, so they end up paying extra (I forget how much by maybe something like an extra $10 a day) to upgrade. So, you end up paying for the drink package anyway (pretty sure the higher Celebrity fares are partly due to giving out the drink packages).